The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) will be installing cable median barriers on segments of I-29 near Fargo and Grand Forks and I-94 near Bismarck. Crews will begin the installation process in the coming weeks with anticipated completion this fall.

High tension cable barriers can help save lives on divided highways. Traffic fatalities or severe injuries often result when a vehicle departs the inside travel lane of a divided highway, crosses the median, and strikes a vehicle traveling in the opposing direction. These types of crashes present the highest risk of fatal and severe injuries among all collision types on highways.

“The NDDOT has committed to the installation of cable median barriers in specifically identified locations on Interstate highways across the state,” says Ron Henke, NDDOT Interim Director. “The installation of cable median barriers are a proven proactive safety measure and just one of many tools used to prevent fatalities and serious injuries.”

The cable median barriers are being installed on sections of North Dakota’s Interstate highway based on several factors including:

Average Annual Daily Traffic

Median width

Crashes

Speed

High tension cable barriers are made of three or four steel cables strung on posts and act like a net when a vehicle strikes them. The cables are designed to detach from the posts and absorb the energy of the vehicle. The vehicle is slowed and redirected to prevent a potential cross median crash.